Emotional Control, Bedtime Stories, and Herbal Tea
by TRDancer
Summary: Edward is out hunting and Bella is sleeping over at the Cullens. Or she would be sleeping if she could manage to fall asleep. What will it take for Bella to get over her insomnia?


_**BPOV**_

I laid in the new bed in Edward's room, breathing in the scent of the brand new sheets. My mind raced and I just couldn't seem to shut it down.

Edward was out hunting, and I could faintly hear the sounds of Emmett laughing at something come floating up the stairs. I tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep.

After what seemed like forever and a day, I heard someone outside the door. I perked up. Was Edward back already?

"Shh, Jasper. Bella's sleeping," I heard Alice whisper. I flopped back onto the pillows, forlorn. I couldn't sleep, and it didn't seem like it was going to happen unless Edward came home, and it wasn't likely that he would arrive home any earlier than tomorrow morning.

"No, she's not. Her emotions are not calm enough," Jasper said to Alice. I flipped over in the gigantic bed and groaned. The door opened and I felt the edge of the bed sink down.

"Bella?" Alice asked.

"Mmmm?"

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Can't fall asleep," I mumbled into the pillow. A wave of fatigue and calm came over me, and I grimaced. I shut my eyes tightly and willed myself to fall asleep. It didn't work, but I wanted Alice and Jasper to go away so I paced my breathing carefully. They seemed satisfied and crept out of the room, closing the door behind them.

The instant the door closed, most of the fatigue and calm left me. I fought to stay calm enough to fool Jasper until he was far away enough that he couldn't feel my emotions.

I laid awake for what seemed like infinity before there came a knock on the door. I sat up and stared at the door, contemplating ignoring it. Then I sighed and called out a hello. I had nothing else to do, considering sleep was eluding me.

The door opened and Emmett stuck his head in.

"Hey, lil' human," he joked, walking all the way in. "Why aren't you asleep?" I sighed.

"I can't sleep," I admitted. Emmett looked confused.

"But I heard Jasper come in here and channel tiredness and all that at you. That didn't work?"

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p.' Emmett scratched his head.

"Weird." We were silent for a moment, during which Rosalie slipped in and sat down on the black leather couch, examining her immaculate nails. Then Emmett got a mischievous look on his face.

"Want to hear a bedtime story?" he asked me. I eyed him hesitantly, and then nodded. Why not, I had nothing to lose, other than time spent staring at the ceiling. I noticed Rosalie looking at her husband with a look of disbelief on her face before she went back to studying her nails a little too intently.

"Okay, here I go..." Emmett rubbed his hands together and began to quote.

"I am Sam, I am Sam, Sam I am. That Sam I Am! That Sam I Am...what?" Emmett looked at me, indignant. I was keeled over, laughing my head off partly at the serious look on Emmett's face as he recited the poem, but mostly at the outraged look on Rosalie's.

"Emmett Cullen! You know that I hate Dr. Seuss!" she yelled as she grabbed his hair and dragged him out of the room.

"Buh-but Rosie! I didn't know that! Don't torture meeeeee!" he shrieked. I grabbed a pillow and pressed it to my face to muffle my laughter. Tears ran down my face.

"No physical contact for a month, Emmett! No exceptions!" I heard Rosalie yell before a loud bang from down the hallway signalled that they had reached their room. I frowned momentarily when I noticed that they had left Edward's bedroom door open, and got out of bed to close it. When I reached the door, I heard movement from downstairs. I was familiar enough with the Cullen household that I could tell it was coming from the kitchen. Curious, I padded down the stairs.

I stood in the kitchen doorway, watching Esme stir something in a mug and put it in the microwave. She stood with her back to me; watching the mug spin in the microwave, I guessed. I wondered if she knew I was here and cleared my throat loudly to check.

She jumped and spun around. I laughed softly.

"I never thought I'd surprise a vampire," I commented. Esme laughed along with me. "What are you making?" I asked, gesturing at the microwave and moving into the kitchen to sit on a stool by the island.

"It's herbal tea to help you sleep. I heard all the commotion you kids were making and I was going to bring it up, but since you're down here..." she trailed off just as the microwave beeped and turned to get the mug out for me. She pushed it across the table to me, and I took a tentative sip. The blend of herbs actually tasted pretty good.

"Thanks, Esme. Where's Carlisle?"

"Oh, he's off working," Esme smiled lovingly at the thought of her workaholic husband. I cracked a smile as well, taking a bigger gulp of the tea, which was only warm, not boiling hot. "Is the tea okay, dear?" Esme's expression turned anxious.

"It's wonderful, Esme, thank you. Maybe it will actually help me get to sleep." I took another drink of the tea to prove my point. It was almost all gone now.

"It should. I looked up the proper herbs on the computer. Luckily we did have them," Esme said, gesturing at the open laptop sitting on the counter next to the stove behind her. I hadn't noticed it before, oddly enough. I took a final gulp of the tea and hopped down from the stool, taking the mug over to the sink and reaching for the tap to wash it out for Esme.

"No, no. It's fine, just go back up to bed. I don't know how fast the effects will occur," she protested, coming over and taking the mug from me. I smiled at her mothering ways and slipped out of the kitchen, saying goodnight as I did so.

Back in Edward's bed, I laid awake for another half an hour or so. The herbal tea, though it tasted delicious, was obviously not doing its job. I desperately wanted to sleep, if only for the simple reason that it would make morning—and Edward's return—come faster.

I got out of bed and started to look through Edward's CDs. I came to one with familiar cover art and pulled it out. It was the same album Edward had had in his car when he asked me what music was in my CD player. I had answered this very artist—_Linkin Park_—and he had shown me the CD.

For old time's sake, I put it in the complicated CD player with some difficulty involving me accidently blasting some rap song—who knew that Edward listened to rap too?—and laid back in bed to listen to it. I had once fallen asleep to the songs, who was to say I couldn't do it again? I concentrated on the inner workings of the beat, just as I used to, singing along softly. I still knew the words.

After I had listened to the album four times in a row, I gave up and shut it off. I threw myself into the bed dejectedly. I was never going to sleep.

Minute after minute passed as I tossed and turned in the gigantic bed. All of a sudden, out of the quiet there came the soft notes of a piano. I stilled, listening intently. Was Edward home?

Floating through the air there came the distinct notes of my lullaby. I sighed and lay back in the pillows. I let the music drift through me, not giving another thought as to who was playing it or where it was coming from. I just let myself be slowly guided into oblivion.

_Finally._

---

I woke to a kiss on my forehead. I opened my eyes to see Edward laying in all his glory next to me. I smiled at the sight of it.

"Good morning, beautiful. Did you have a good sleep?" I groaned at his question, remembering the previous night.

"Not really. At least, not until you came and played my lullaby for me," I smiled at him. I was positive it had been him playing the piano, but he frowned.

"I just got home five minutes ago," he said, raising an eyebrow. I began to frown as well.

"What? Then who was playing the piano?" Edward shook his head.

"Good morning, lovebirds!" Alice threw herself onto the bed between mine and Edward's feet. "Did you manage to fall asleep last night? Rose is still hella mad at Emmett, by the way." I laughed at the thought of Emmett, but then turned serious again.

"I managed to fall asleep when I heard the song Edward wrote for me being played, but he wasn't home. Do you know who was playing it?" Alice frowned.

"No. I didn't hear any piano music last night. Maybe you were just hallucinating. You must have been awfully tired," she said. Then she cocked her head to the side as if listening to something and her eyes glazed for a moment. "Well, better go! Esme's going to make breakfast for you, so I'd hurry!" She skipped happily out of the room.

"But it seemed so real..." I muttered to myself, contemplating Alice's hallucination idea. Edward chuckled.

"Ah, well, my dear, aren't most hallucinations very life-like?" I nodded slowly. I knew how life-like delusions were; I had frequently had them of Edward's voice when he had left me. But now I had been so sure that it had been my angel that had saved me from my bout of insomnia, and now everyone was telling me it wasn't. It kind of crushed me.

"Now, are you going for a human minute?" I nodded again and got out of bed, heading for the bathroom. I had only taken two steps when Edward grabbed my wrist and twisted me back toward him.

"Now, now," he kissed me on the forehead. "My little hallucinatory love. Maybe I shouldn't leave you alone so often, and not at night."

I breathed in the scent I had been breathing all night. It was so much sweeter when it was the real thing. I mused about the logistics of that.

"No. Maybe you shouldn't," I mumbled into his chest. I could feel something rumbling in Edward's chest, and all of a sudden he let out a loud laugh.

"You completely fell for that, didn't you?" Edward asked through his laughter. I stared at him, not comprehending.

"Bella, it was me. You weren't really hallucinating," he explained after he had stopped laughing. I processed that slowly and then began yelling.

"You tricked me! Why did you do that? Why, Edward Cull-"Edward interrupted my outburst with another laugh, gathering me into his arms. I fought against it for a moment, then surrendered to him (gladly, I might add).

"April Fools," he whispered into my ear before kissing me. It was then I understood.

I knew I had always hated April Fool's Day.

***

**Wow. Who knew it was going to end up being an April Fool****'****s joke? You****'****re amazing if you thought so, because I didn****'****t or else I would have finished it yesterday so it could actually BE an April Fool****'****s special.  
And who else thinks it is totally precious that Edward saved Bella from insomnia? (That was the initial point... the rest is just random crap.)**

I wish an Edward would save me from my insomnia. *sigh*

**Thanks to Leon fo' beta-ing. He's like so cool, even though he has so much other work to do. And he better be getting back to it RIGHT NOW. Cause I said. Muahaha.**

**Review? :D**

**Leon McFrenchington: TRD is so crazy. Srsly. She fooled me with it and I beta'd.  
**


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